Ink feed means for printing presses



Jan. 23, 1940. Q, BUSHMAN 2,188,219

INK FEED MEANS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In venior fllfaafiwizmqzm Jan. 23,, 1940.

Filed March i 95 I ll! l l l lfl l l BUSHMAN 2,188,219

22; 1938 2 Sheet Inventor M A itomeys Patented Jan. 23, 1940 t UNITED sTArss eArENT OFFICE.

Claims.

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in feed means for printing presses. At present there is a tendency of the ink to back up in relation to the usual fountain roller 5 of the press with the result that the ink is not evenly distributed on the roller with the consequent lack of uniformity in printing.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the ink is placed under such a pressure as to prevent any tendency of the same from backing up and not properly applying itself against the fountain roller. Other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings- I Figure 1 represents a fragmentary top plan view of the improved fountain.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. r

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

' Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the weight strip.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the ratchet means.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional View substantially on the line 66 of Figure 1. Figure '7 is a sectional view on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 representsthe usual ink fountain in which the ink roll 6 is rotatably mounted.

The fountain has the inclined back I on which sets the elongated bar 8 and from this elongated bar extends the thin resilient plate 9 which has its free edge in close proximity to the roll 6 so as to evenly distribute ink thereon and the spaced disposition of the free edge portion of the plate 9 with respect to the roll 6 is regulated by a plurality of threaded members l0 having winged heads H and these are feedable through bores in the vertical portion l2 of the fountain and against the swingable arms 13, which arms are mounted to swing on the hinge pin l4 and are located under the resilient plate extension 9. The bar 8 is held by screws I5. The foregoing is a conventional ink equalize-r for printing presses and is of the type set forth in Patent No, 1,802,026, issued April 21, 1931, to S. B. Lestner.

In carrying out the present invention, the purpose is to force the ink under a substantial pressure so that the plate extension 9 will serve its purpose of uniformly distributing the ink on the roll 6. To this end, an L-shaped bracket i6 is provided having its lower portion secured by one of the screws [5 to the inclined back i, while 8 the upstanding portion of the bracket i6 hasthe U-shaped block I! secured thereto. Slidably disposed through this block I? is the ratchet bar l8 and mounted in the block is the pawl !9 for engagement with the ratchet bar l8. 10

The lower end of the ratchet bar I8 is secured to the transversely arcuate elongated blade 20 embraced by fins or webs 2| radiating from the bar It and secured to the blade 20.

The rod I8 is provided. with a plurality of 15 longitudinally spaced openings 22 into any one of which the headed pin .23 can, be disposed for regulating the tension of the coiled compressible spring 24 which is interposed on the ratchet bar I 8 between the upper end portion of the 20 bracket I6 and the pin 23. The spring 24 serves to urge the blade downwardly to maintain a constant pressure on the ink. Furthermore, to keep the blade 20 urged downwardly so that its lower edge is against the resilient plate extension 9, 25 a weight strip 25 is provided, the same extending longitudinally along the back of the blade 20 and having notches 26 for engaging over lugs 2! on the blade and also a reduced intermediate portion 28 to avoid the longitudinal fins or 30 webs 2|. v

The purpose of the pawl 19 and ratchet bar I8 is to prevent the blade from backing up, when the roller 6 turns the ink in the fountain. In certain types of presses the shape of the blade 20 35 will have to be somewhat different, and perhaps more than one ratchet and spring assembly will be required.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be under- .40 stood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed 45 as new is:

1. In a printing press ink fountain having a bottom sloping toward an ink distributing roller,

a member for pressing the ink toward the roller, said member being of plate-like form and extend- 50 ing across the fountain with its lower edge resting on the sloping bottom. of the fountain and bodily movable in the fountain toward and away from the roller, a bar connected tothe rear portion of said member and extending parallel to the slop- 5 5 ing bottom of the fountain and a guide at the rear of the fountain and through which the bar passes.

2. In a printing press ink fountain having a bottom sloping toward an ink distributing roller,

- a member for pressing the ink toward the roller,

said member being of plate-like form and extending across the fountain with its lower edge resting on the sloping bottom of the fountain and bodily movable in the fountain toward and away from the roller, a bar connected to the rear portion of. said member and extending parallel to the sloping bottom of the fountain and'a- 5; resting on the sloping bottom of the fountain and bodily movable in the fountain toward and away from the roller, a bar connected to the rear portion of said member and extending parallel to the sloping bottom of the fountain and a guide at the rear of the fountain and through which the bar passes, said bar having rack teeth thereon and'a dog in the guide member engaging the teeth for preventing upward movement, of the bar but permitting the bar and the plate-like 35 member to move toward the roller, and a spring on the bar for moving the bar and the plate-like member toward the roller.

4. In a printing press ink fountain having a bottom sloping toward an ink distributing roller, a member for pressing the ink toward the roller, said member being of plate-like form and extending across the fountain with its lower edge resting on the sloping bottom of the fountain and bodily movable in the fountain toward and away from the roller, a bar connected to the rear portion of said member and extending parallel to the sloping bottom of the fountain and a guide at the rear of the fountain and through which the bar passes, said bar having rack teeth thereon and a dog in the guide member engaging the teeth for preventing upward movement of the bar but permitting the bar and the plate-like member to move toward the roller, and a spring on the bar for moving the bar and the platelike member toward the roller, and a weight member associated with the plate-like member for holding a lower edge of said plate-like member on the sloping bottom of the fountain.

5. In combination with an ink fountain of a printing machine having a bottom sloping toward an ink distributing roller in the fountain, a blade member of arcuate shape in cross section and extending longitudinally across the fountain with its lower edge resting on the sloping bottom and its concave face directed toward the roller, a bar connected with the convex face of the blade and extending upwardly and outwardly, a guide member connected with the rear edge of the fountain and through which the bar passes and a spring on the bar between the guide member and a projection on the bar for forcing the blade member bodily toward the roller.

OTTO G. BUSHMAN. 

